


Photographs

by Salmaka



Series: That One Martian Modern AU [5]
Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Also Thirsty Grandfathers, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Best Grandfathers, Family Fluff, I Can't Believe I Wrote This, IC (Integrated Circuits), M/M, Photographs, Salmaka's Expanded Universe, Usage of Head Canon(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 17:16:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18370523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salmaka/pseuds/Salmaka
Summary: Doing some spring cleaning, Ian stumbled upon an old box full of photos and albums.





	Photographs

Sean was sent out of the country again, on another mission, and so little Zach is in the care of his two grandads again. It’s so refreshing and at the same time challenging to have this twelve-years-old running all around the house and garden. But both men wouldn’t change a thing about it, they love their tireless grandson.

Doing some spring cleaning, Ian stumbled upon an old box full of photos and albums. Connor was wondering where these vanished to. And of course, the whole cleaning came to the stop in order to go through the photos. Ian grabs the box and brings it to the living room. When he sits on the sofa, the little one immediately sits next to him. His eyes big with curiosity. He loves exploring and learning new things. Connor makes his way there too and sits down so Zachariah is between him and his husband. Ian puts the box in front of Zach who starts pulling out the pictures. However, he knows these are old, so he is careful, all gone are his fast movements. He’s a clever boy.

“She looks like aunt Sam,” Zach says and points at the older of the women on the photo in his hand.

“She does but,” Ian point at the younger of the two, “this is Sam actually. I think she was around fourteen back then. This is your grandmother Magda.”

There are two women on the photo, older and younger. They are sitting side by side under the old tree, relaxing in its shadow. Sam’s head is lying on her mother’s shoulder while Magdalena’s head is resting on her head. Their eyes are closed and the whole moment looks so peaceful. Magda is wearing a dress with a flowery pattern and her daughter is wearing dungarees with a short-sleeved T-shirt inside. Both women are barefoot and have wildflowers in their hair.

“Wow! She’s pretty!”

Ian smiles over the memory of his mother and strokes Zach’s hair. “It’s just pity you and Sean haven’t got the opportunity to meet her. She would love you two.”

“So, she died before you adopted dad?” Zach asks and looks up at Ian.

“Yes, she passed away like a year before I’ve met him.”

“Tell me about her,” Zach says with the kid’s curiosity colouring his voice and sits closer to Ian, his legs are crossed.

“Ok. Con, love, will you help me find more photos of her?”

“Sure,” Connor smiles at his husband, gives him a quick kiss and starts looking through the box. They have more of photos with here somewhere else, but this will do, too, for now.

“So, her name was Magdalena Sinclair, our father actually took her surname after they got married. She was the archaeologist and historian as I am. I kind of inherited this side of her,” he laughs, “I was always asking questions about her researches and such. The way she talked about the old civilization was capturing. She even took me to some dig site when I was even younger than you are now. She loved us with all her heart and…”

Ian keeps talking, telling his favourite stories about his mother and describing the events on the photos Con handed to him and Zach is eagerly listening to him the whole time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“It’s uncle Anton!” Zach almost squeaks and points at the man on the picture. His bright eyes jumping from one person on the photo to the next.

“I still can’t believe he actually lets you call him ‘uncle’,” Con laughs, “I think I never will.”

“You know him; that hard shell is protecting the biggest heart in all Abundance.”

“True,” Connor chuckles and looks at the photo. He remembers it, the copy of it is on Ian’s desk at university.

It’s a groups photo with five people on it and motorbikes behind them. They’re all smiling for the camera. Ian is in the centre of the photo with Sam by his left and Anton by his right, his hands around both their shoulders. Anton is actually smiling here. Judy is sitting on her bike, leaning on its handle-bars and looking straight into the camera and Sean is leaning back on his own bike. His hands crossed over his chest. Ian told Connor that Sean was trying to look so serious and badass but then Sam told some dirty joke and his mask cracked to the wide smile captured on the photograph.

“And look at dad, he’s so young here.”

“Not _that_ young, though. He’s like… Was this the week before or after his twenty-second birthday?”

“I think after. You were at the trip near Noctis and Judy got terribly sunburned. The week before you were at Greenhope.”

“Yes, now I remember it clearly! We weren’t there for ages… Maybe we should head there when Sean get back.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Zach is browsing through the album full of photos from one of their vacations and Con grabs one of the sets of photos lying freely in the box. This pack is holding together only thanks to a twine. Connor seeing part of the first photo unties it to have a better look.

It takes him only a moment to remember this photo, the whole series of them.

Ian is wearing his biker jacket and is standing with his back to the camera. The photo is black and white and Ian’s figure in the leather jacket is making a beautiful contrast against the light background. His shoulders as impossibly broad as ever when he has the jacket on.

There is a bit more undressed Ian on the next photo. His back still to the camera but the jacket is now positioned over his left shoulder. The little of light is hinting the muscles of Ian’s back and shoulders. He is also no longer looking straight forward but not completely to the side either.

Con is very proud of these photos, about the whole set, it brings back good memories, but he won’t go thru them with his grandson sitting right next to him. Only remembering few that follows makes him blush a bit.

And still, he cannot help himself and pulls the last photo from the pack. This one is his favourite and he was looking for it for a long time not knowing where it was.

It was taken _after_. On it is Ian lying in the bed, his eyes closed, the blanket low and his body is glistening with sweat still. His right hand is under his head, the muscles flexing. His hair is a beautiful mess and there is a content smile on his lips. His expression relaxed. It is not visible at the first look, but there is a path of love-bites visible. Going from his neck down Ian’s body. Down and down…

Now he really should stop looking at it! Connor quickly flips the photo for Zach to not see it. However, he won’t miss the opportunity to tease his love and he puts the first one on the top again.

Ian is currently talking with Zachariah about some pictures so Con has to wait for his moment to strike. Luckily, he doesn’t need to wait long. While Zach is looking for another album, Connor taps Ian’s shoulder. His husband looks at him over their grandson’s head and smiles. Con smiles back and oh so casually hands him the pack.

And because he feels like it, he asks, “Do you remember when I took those?” His tone isn’t hinting a thing about the content of the pictures.

“Let me see.”

By the corner of his eye, Connor is observing his reaction. Ian looks at the first photo and then back at him. His eyes wide and a bit of red creeps its way into his cheeks. However, his surprised expression slowly turns into a well-known sly-ish smile. Con, satisfied, just puts on his best poker face and starts helping Zachariah find the next album.

For the next few minutes, Ian is suspiciously quiet, and Connor can’t help himself and smiles. He got what he wanted, though the best part of this will probably come later.


End file.
